A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, on Wednesday restrained security agencies from unlawfully arresting and extraditing Mr Buruji Kashamu to the United States, to stand trial on drug-trafficking offences.
Justice Okon Abang, who presided over the case, declared as illegal, the arrest and planned extradition of the Senator-elect for Ogun East Senatorial District, in relation to drug-trafficking allegations from which he had been exonerated by two British Courts.
Justice Abang granted Mr Kashamu’s request that having earlier obtained a judgment in Nigeria in January 2014, barring his arrest and extradition and the judgment having not been set aside, he could not be arrested and extradited.
A Federal High Court in Lagos had on Tuesday, ordered the NDLEA operatives to immediately vacate Mr Kashamu’s Lagos residence.
The NDLEA denied receiving any court order, insisting that it would continue to maintain presence.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Mohammed Adoke on Saturday, said that the arrest of the Senator-elect was not an extra-judicial action, explaining that a formal request had been made by the American Government, seeking his extradition and that same had been passed to the appropriate legal body.
Justice Abang then awarded a penalty of 20,000 Naira against the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), National Security Adviser to the President, and the Nigeria Security And Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
